Home MissionsMusicYouth Coming Events Adult EducationChristian EducationStaffService ArchivesChurch LifeParis OriginalsMore Info

Paris Originals

3/01/2011

Paris Originals

Last year my sermon series for the summer months was called “You Asked For It.”  My intent was to preach sermons on subjects on your mind, so I asked you to tell me what you had always wanted to hear from the pulpit but were afraid to ask. 

I received a few requests I expected, and a few surprises, but more people asked me to preach on forgiveness than any other one subject.  The requests varied in tone and focus, but they all boiled down to two questions: (1) How can I forgive myself for the wrongs I’ve done to others? (2) How can I forgive others for the wrongs they have done to me? 

Though there was no way to cover such a broad theme in one sermon, I gave it my best shot.  The buzz of conversation after-wards signalled I was on to something.  The stories I heard, the anguish I saw on faces, and the anger I felt seeping through otherwise calm personalities was palpable.  Plus, I could not help reflecting on my own struggles with forgiveness. 

When the model of the all-church study proved successful last October with our “Transitions” groups, it just seemed right to tackle the subject of forgiveness in the same format during Lent. 

Therefore, instead of the usual “Tuesdays (or Thursdays) with Jesus” Lenten study we have been accustomed to, this year we are offering a four session study

 
on this topic that is so basic to Christian faith and yet so incredibly difficult to practice. 

Lois and I have collaborated to create a study we are calling Forgiveness: The Fault Line of Grace.  Why “fault line?”  Because, just like the shifting of earth’s geological plates, the shifts in our relationships determine whether our lives together will result in minor tremors or major earthquakes. 

During the weeks of March 14, 21, 28, & April 4 small groups will be meeting at various times.  (Check out the days and times as listed on page 1 of the March Church Life.)  You can pick the time that best fits your schedule.  Each week will focus on a couple of biblical passages dealing with forgiveness, and I will be preaching a sermon based on those passages at the end of each week.  All you need to do is commit only one hour a week for only four weeks. 

Over the years I have read lots of thoughtful theological books, heard erudite lectures on fascinating topics, and listened to powerful sermons.  However, perhaps the most profound theological statement I have ever come across was scrawled with a felt tip marker on a men’s room wall in San Francisco.  It read, “Judas, come home.  All is forgiven.” 

Come join me on this year’s Lenten journey to discover the joy and the mystery of those words.